Article August 28, 1937 Issue

Bible Notes

"I ... beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called" (Eph. 4:1)—The verb here literally rendered "walk" is constantly employed in the New Testament in the metaphorical sense of "to live, to regulate one's life; to conduct oneself" (Thayer: Greek Lexicon, p. 504). Consequently, Goodspeed renders: "I ... appeal to you to live lives worthy of the summons you have received;" and Moffatt: "I beg of you to live a life worthy of your calling;" while Weymouth suggests: "I ... entreat you to live and act as becomes those who have received the call that you have received."

"Endeavoruing to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3)—Since the verb "terein," usually translated "keep or guard," is sometimes employed in the sense of "hold firmly" (Thayer: op. cit., p. 622), and "en" (in) constantly means "by" or "with," we should be justified in rendering: "Endeavoring to hold fast the unity of the Spirit by the bond of peace." Goodspeed suggests: "Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the tie of peace;" while Weymouth has: "Earnestly striving to maintain, in the uniting bond of peace, the unity given by the Spirit."

"Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ" (Eph. 4:7)—Modern translators bring out the sense that the term "measure," as used in this context, suggests no thought of limitation, for we note such renderings as the following: "Each one of us has been given mercy in Christ's generous measure" (Goodspeed); "Each one of us is granted his own grace, as determined by the full measure of Christ's gift" (Moffatt); and Weymouth has: "To each of us individually His grace was given, measured out with the munificence of Christ."

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